Social Eyes: Keller fashion show celebrates 25th anniversary

Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Garden of Roses Fashion Show hosted by the Greater Keller Women’s Club on March 29 in the Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. This year’s theme is “Walk on the Wild Side.”

The stylish outfits worn by loyal attendees at this event are nearly as beautiful as the runway fashions, and the excitement will be tangible as throngs of ladies enjoy shopping and visiting while they browse a huge silent auction sipping fashion-tinis and style-tinis, this year’s signature drinks. Jewelry, accessories, home decor, art, sports memorabilia and even flying lessons will all be up for bid.

Maybe it’s the magic of wearing the beautiful fashions from Dillard’s, but there’s nothing amateurish about the models from the women’s club. They seem like pros as they strut the runway and playfully interact with the audience.

Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Peter Nygard,and Antonio Melani are only a few of the designers whose fashions Dillard’s has chosen for the show.

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“And a new twist will be added this year: an accessory run where all models will be dressed in black outfits to highlight their accessories — purses, shoes, jewelry, etc.,” said club spokeswoman Debbie Dodge.

“The final run will be Night Club Row,” she added.

According to co-chairwoman Gayle Clark, “Showing the fashions by designer collections will make it easier for the ladies to identify the outfits they love and enable them know the department at Dillard’s where they can find them.”

Clark and co-chairwoman Mimi Catanzaro will wear beautiful outfits from one of the collections.

Newswoman Ginger Allen will return as emcee, and crowd favorite Rick Stacey will again serve as auctioneer in the live auction.

Clark said the members are excited that this is the 25th anniversary for the organization and are delighted to announce that the proceeds from this year’s show will put the total fundraising at more than $1 millions since the club formed in 1989.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Greater Keller Women’s Club Foundation that in turn awards grants to many charitable organization in Northeast Tarrant County and scholarships to three seniors from each of the four Keller high schools.

Celebrity bowls, gallery bowls, keepsake bowls — all part of the iconic symbols that hundreds of attendees at the Empty Bowls luncheon will touch and feel at the March 27 event at Amon Carter Exhibit Hall.

Benefiting Tarrant Area Food Bank, Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort to fight and create awareness of hunger. The concept is for artisans to create handcrafted bowls and then to invite guests to have a simple meal and take home an empty bowl as a reminder of all the “empty bowls” in the community.

The food bank’s community events director, Francie Cooper, likens this event to Black Friday. “Guests line up 30 minutes or more before their entry time, and when the doors open they rush toward the tables of bowls, each person searching for that perfect keepsake to take home,” she writes. “The hall soon becomes packed with people milling about between the tables of bowls, the silent auction and the 30-plus stations of soups and desserts.

A live auction will feature celebrity bowls signed by such stars as Miranda Lambert, Trisha Yearwood, Tracy Lawrence, Olga Kern, Bob Newhart, Penn & Teller, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon and Roger Staubach. And a raffle will offer a chance to win a fluted glass bowl created by David Gappa, an iPad Mini, and several other unique items. Silent auction swag includes airline tickets, cooking classes, sports tickets and a slew of merchandise and services.

Chairing the event is Lisa Fuld, co-owner of Four Color Press, who said of the luncheon, “I think it’s an amazing event and, most importantly, the proceeds go directly toward feeding hungry people in our community. It just doesn’t get more basic than that. I’m proud to be able to support such an important cause.”

The food bank and its 300 partner charities feed impoverished and low-income families and seniors in Tarrant and 12 other counties. That’s emergency groceries for 47,000 households each month and more than 308,000 meals a month.

General admission is $50 per person or $130 for a VIP ticket allowing entrance to the event a half hour early. To purchase a ticket, visit tafb.org/anevents-ebowls.html or call 817-332-9177. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Boxing event to benefit SafeHaven

A black-tie boxing affair March 22 at the Cendera Center will feature a cocktail reception, an elegant dinner catered by Reata and some world-class boxing action, all to benefit SafeHaven.

The event invitation describes the evening as “a unique and unconventional way to support the work that SafeHaven does to ensure safe futures for women and children impacted by domestic violence.” Brian Collins from Cendera Funding and world champion boxer Paulie Ayala “have put together an event that places fighting in its proper context.”

SafeHaven CEO Mary Lee Hafley said that some may see it as a contradiction for a domestic violence shelter to benefit from funds raised at a boxing event, but she hopes it will be a way to engage men in what has too long been viewed as a women’s issue. “Until men become engaged and involved, we cannot end domestic violence,” Hafley said.

Hafley’s hope is for all Tarrant County men will hear Ayala’s message: “No more excuses. Let’s end our silence surrounding domestic violence. Let’s break the cycle by keeping it in the ring.”

Guests will see eight rounds of boxing featuring Neil Ewing, Larry Smith, DeAnthony Bonner, and DeShaun Williams. The main event will match Samuel Clarkson (10-2-0-6) and William Johnson (10-34-2-3).

Tickets are $38 for general admission and $45 for reserved seating. Ringside tables are available for $2,000 and include an hors d’oeuvres buffet and complimentary beverages.